How can Africa maximise the economic potential of its vast oceans? This is what the region’s leaders will seek answers to at a three-day conference beginning in Abuja tomorrow. Maritime Correspondent OLUWAKEMI DAUDA examines at some of the conference’s benefits to the nation.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has its reasons for hosting the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) conference beginning in Abuja tomorrow. According to NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Africa’s oceans have huge potential to be unlocked to boost rapid economic development of the continent.
He told The Nation that there was need to develop a proactive approach to reap the benefits of the oceans to ensure socio-economic emancipation of the continent while protecting its vast and fragile environment to make the ports attractive for business.
Background
AAMA was formed following the signing of the African Transport and Maritime Charter in 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to bring together all players in the African maritime sector. The association is an umbrella body of five African Maritime Stakeholders’groups namely: Association of Maritime Administrations of Africa, Africa’s Ship Registry Forum, African Ship Owners Association as well as Africa Shippers’ Council and Seafarers’ Forum with the aim of promoting the development of Africa’s maritime regulatory and maritime environment.
Buhari expected at AAMA
President Muhammadu Buhari, NIMASA said would on Thursday meet a body of African Maritime leaders under the aegis of Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA) from across the continent to discuss ways in which Africa can come together to maximise the economic opportunities of the continent’s large ocean.
The President will also address the conference on certain policy directions of his administration as they concern the maritime industry. The President, it was learnt, will also be unveiling the new NIMASA, brand during the three- day event.
The theme of the event is: Sustainable use of Africa’s oceans and seas, and it will hold from tomorrow to Friday, Apri1 21.
Over 32 countries to participate
Over 32 African countries, as well as other maritime countries across the globe with representative from IMO and major shipping line operators will participate in the conference.
The meeting of President Buhari with the maritime leaders, according to the agency, was part of the third edition of AAMA Conference being organised by NIMASA in conjunction with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
AAMA Conference will also feature notable speakers such as the Secretary General of IMO, Mr. Kitack Lim, Chief Executive Officer of South African Maritime and Safety Agency (SAMSA), Sobaitu Tilayi, Malaysian Maritime Authority and European maritime association, among others.
“In addition to the maritime administrations that would be attending the event,other critical stakeholders such as shipping companies, terminal operators, shipping agents, freight forwarders and other sundry maritime and shipping services providers would also be in attendance and this will bring about exchange of ideas and contacts with the Nigerian stakeholders,” Peterside said.
On the sidelines of the conference, the NIMASA management, he said, would also hold strategic sessions to garner support for Nigeria’s bid for category “C” seat on the council of IMO.
“The council is the highest decision making body of the IMO and Nigeria’s participation will further add value to the economy through participation in critical decision making sessions on global maritime affairs,” he added.
Focus of the conference
The conference has four priority areas, which include marine transport and manufacturing, offshore oil and gas exploration, aquaculture as well as marine protection services and port development
Opportunities and benefits
to Nigeria
Peterside also said that the conference would afford the country the opportunity of improving its economy via the maritime sector as issues such as ports development and its modernisation, maritime tourism, shipbuilding and repairs will be at the front burner of the discussions.
He added that interactions among importers, exporters, shipping firms, freight forwarders and even chandelier’s, among several others, will ultimately lead to increase in maritime activities in the country, thereby helping the Nigeria attain the desired hub port status within the sub-regions and ultimately advance its economy.
Nigeria eyes hub port status
Despite the development of planes, trains, and automobiles, shipping is still the major means for transporting goods internationally, and many countries like Nigeria rely on their ports as a major source of revenue.
An importer, Mr Adams Johnson, said that the conference would give Nigeria the opportunity to become the hub in West and Central African sub-region.
“Significant increases in port throughput, particularly in the containerised sector, have put pressures on Nigeria for the development of port infrastructure to remain competitive.
Economic changes
Johnson said seaborne trade has increased substantially, in part because of the massive redistribution of manufacturing to low cost locations (outsourcing) and in part because of ongoing economic growth. This underlines the growing importance of logistics to organise the resulting complex distribution system.
Technical changes
The growth in ship size to better achieve economies of scale, Johnson said, has been a prevalent technical change, particularly since the 1990s when post-Panamax containerships were first introduced. There is also a growing level of ship specialisation (container-ships, bulk carriers, car carriers, and even cruise ships) that require dedicated port terminal facilities. All of the above have been placing pressures on governments to upgrade and improve their port facilities to meet the present day changes.
Port spatial framework changing
A freight forwarder, Felix Ayinla, also said the impacts of port infrastructure investments are effect of a positive influence of port throughput on local economic development.
“Empirical evidence underlines that port infrastructure investment projects do foster economic development and are important when a port is nearing its operational capacity. Under such circumstances, the lack of investments will clearly lead to additional externalities, namely congestion, which will undermine the competitiveness of the Nigerian sea ports,” he said.
Ayinla also pointed out that Nigeria has no business importing fish based on its large ocean.
“Nigeria has abundance of water. We are blessed with numerous lakes, rivers, reservoirs, dams and flood plains, spanning about 13 million hectares which can support artisanal fisheries and aquaculture.
“Nigerian shrimp is considered one of the best in the world and presently generates foreign exchange worth $65 million yearly and we hope the figure will increase by the time we put into practice the resolution of the AAMA conference in Abuja.
Expectations from NIMASA
The use of various marine resources in the continent’s ocean space will increase. The forum will enable the leaders of the continent to create new partnerships while strengthening existing ones to develop means and ways to share the wealth of the ocean for the benefit of all Africans.
NIMASA will continue its efforts to protect and maintain the country’s diversification efforts.
“Aspects of climate change, ocean acidification, pollution, unsustainable coastal area development and unwanted impacts from resource extraction need to be addressed for human well-being, environmental prosperity and integrity.
The conference will also promote economic growth, job creation and environmental protection
Seas of garbage
NIMASA, operators said, must ensure that solid garbage like plastic bags, balloons, glass bottles; shoes and packaging material no longer find its ways to the ocean.
Plastic garbage, which decomposes very slowly, is often mistaken for food by marine animals. High concentrations of plastic material, particularly plastic bags, have been found blocking the breathing passages and stomachs of many marine species, including whales, dolphins, seals, puffins, and turtles.
This garbage can also come back to shore, where it pollutes beaches and other coastal habitats.
Sewage disposal
In many parts of the world, sewage flows untreated, or under-treated, into the ocean. For example, 80 per cent of urban sewage discharged into the sea.
This sewage can also lead to eutrophication. In addition, it can cause human disease which operator said that NIMASA must address as a regulatory agency.
Toxic chemicals
Almost every marine organism, from the tiniest plankton to whales and polar bears, is contaminated with man-made chemicals, such as pesticides and chemicals used in common consumer products.
Some of these chemicals enter the sea through deliberate dumping. For centuries, the oceans have been a convenient dumping ground for waste generated on land. This continued until the 1970s, as the as accepted practice with dumping of such toxic materials as pesticides, chemical weapons, and radioactive waste.
Dumping of the most toxic materials was banned by the London Dumping Convention in 1972, and an amended treaty in 1996 (the London Convention) further restricted what could be dumped at sea. However, there are still the problems of already-dumped toxic material, as these substances can be substantial environmental hazard.
People have assumed that the ocean was so large that all pollutants would be diluted and dispersed to safe levels. But in reality, they have not disappeared – and some man-made toxic chemicals have even become more concentrated as they have entered the food chain. Stakeholders in the maritime industry, therefore, expect NIMASA to take pro-active steps in that direction.
“Tiny animals at the bottom of the food chain, such as plankton in the oceans, absorb the chemicals as they feed. Because they do not break down easily, the chemicals accumulate in these organisms, becoming much more concentrated in their bodies than in the surrounding water or soil. These organisms are eaten by small animals, and the concentration rises again. These animals are in turn eaten by larger animals, which can travel large distances with their even further increased chemical load,” said the President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Prince Zolayiwola Shittu.
People, Shittu said, become contaminated either directly from household products or by eating contaminated seafood and animal fats.
“Evidence is mounting that a number of man-made chemicals can cause serious health problems – including cancer, damage to the immune system, behavioural problems, and reduced fertility,” he said.
